A San Diego woman offers a new account of the allegations of sexual harassment being levied against the mayor and wants other women to feel they can speak out as well.
Special Section: Mayor Under Fire
She has come forward to share her experience with San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, describing what she calls "uncomfortable" hugs and kisses.
The woman, who asked not to be identified because she's afraid she'll lose her job if she comes forward, doesn't work for Mayor Filner, but her job puts her in contact with him almost every day.
She says the allegations made public Monday are eerily similar to her own run-ins with Filner.
She says on several occasions Mayor Filner grabbed her, hugged her and kissed her hands and cheek, making her uncomfortable.
Once, she was shocked when Filner "popped up in front of me, hugged me and kiss my cheek."
She may see the mayor almost every day, but she said the embrace was done quickly and without her permission. And, she added, it was not similar to the hug of a friend or a colleague.
"It’s a different hug. The way he hugged me," she said.
"The hug is just like, the hands. You could feel it," she explained. "You could feel it’s different."
On the surface, her story doesn’t sound much different from the op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune Tuesday in which Filner acknowledged at times he "treated the people with whom he works poorly" and is "impatient and demanding."
In several local television interviews, Filner also admitted that he was a "hugger" and liked to show his affection often to both men and women.
However, the woman who spoke with NBC 7 San Diego said she never asked for the show of affection, and it made her uneasy.
When she would see him, she would pretend to be busy to avoid any interaction.
She did not tell her boss, because she said she was embarrassed and afraid.
"It’s just I’m powerless. I’m paycheck to paycheck, what am I going to do? Who’s going to really help me out?" she asked.
"I don't want any drama. I don't want any troubles. I don't want to cause any problems," she said.
The recent allegations, though, gave her the courage to share her story. She's hoping this will let others know it's okay, too.
"I'm a strong woman. I know what is right and what is wrong. The thing is, I have to do this. I have to finish this. I have to get over with this and get it out of my system, because when I release this I get peace," she said.
Photo Credit: NBC 7 News